Dear Gordon
Do you think it’s strange that yet again PFA members have failed to recognise David Silva’s performance for Man City this season ?
Silva is the goalscoring chance maker supreme with 598 since he joined City in 2010, incorporating 63 direct assists. These stats are unmatched in the Prem during Silva’s almost seven years at City.
But you have to put things into context by comparing like-with-like. Other world class midfielders in the Prem have outstanding seasons and some noticeable poor ones. It’s obvious who they are. Former players turned radio pundits from the same clubs talk endlessly about them while gradually airbrushing away the season-long losses of form. Silva’s form is more consistent and he’s currently having an outstanding season.
Gary Neville has described Silva as the Prem’s top player and its Messi. And you can see why when you look at his significantly high pass completion rate – mostly forward, adventurous passes often through small gaps, and by the way he glides past defenders. It’s not just pleasing on the eye, it’s ultra-effective, year-in year-out.
Some would say there’s a pattern forming here. Sergio Aguero has the best goals per-minute ratio in the history of the Prem, but he’s never been recognised. Joe Hart kept the highest number of clean sheets over a five-year period winning the Golden Gloves a record four times without other recognition. Pablo Zabaleta’s and Vincent Kompany’s colossal performances over many years have never been recognised, and likewise Yaya Toure in his pomp.
Do you not think that this failure of PFA members to recognise any City player, especially Silva, is odd, churlish and devalues the awards ?
Yours sincerely
